Is anyone affected by the benefit cap?

Just wondering (now the pilot scheme has started in parts of London) if anyone has been affected by the £500 a week benefit cap? If so are you likely to spend less on feeding your family? Or will you fall into rent arrears? How will you (or plan to) manage?

The subject is very topical and I believe worthy of debate. I just wondered what people thought of the cuts, whether they are affected and how they will deal with those effects.

Lj8893 - I am being honest and upfront. Although I'm not sure why you would be reading this thread at all since living in Belgium it would have no bearing on you either. So YOU be honest and upfront - why are you interested?

I am affected only in as much as I am now making a contribution to my council tax. I am more than happy to do this as when in work I always paid. However, as there is only myself and my DS it's easier to find the small contribution. I don't know how other families are faring with it.

Of course it is worthy of debate. Every other thread seems to be on the subject of the cuts at the moment and people are rightfully upset about it. But when a new poster rocks up and frames a question like that without giving their own thoughts it screams Journo to me. If you're not, then fair enough.

And indeed I do live in Belgium at the moment (though I am intrigued that you sought to check me out ) but that does not mean I do not care about what is happening, as I have a UK pension, and lots of friends and family in the UK, and will no doubt be back one day.

I don't live in Belgium! I've never even been to Belgium, not sure where you got that from?!?!

Lived in the uk all my life! Am currently not claiming benefits but once baby is here we shall be looking at working tax credits and child tax credits, and so the benefit change over is quite a scary thought. We will certainly struggle if we are not entitled to claim. And I dread to think how many of my single parent friends will cope.